I just saw (thanks to a commentator on TheISpot) this interesting article by Alice Rawsthorn in The International Herald Tribune about the history of Penguin’s design and how they are meeting today’s publishing challenges by lookin’ good."Epics is the latest in a succession of beautifully designed new editions of Penguin Classics, which are as likely to be bought for their covers as for their content. It now makes commercial sense for Penguin to invest in design, as the company is facing fierce price competition from online retailers and the threat of digital publishing."
Be sure to check out the slide show listed on the left.